Report obtained by Telegraph calls for employment law reform
A recent report suggests that the government is clamping down on lazy workers in a bid to tidy up what is essentially a grey area in employment law and to help boost productivity in the UK economy. The report, which was commissioned by the Prime Minister, suggests that workers' ability to claim unfair dismissal for being unproductive in their role should be reviewed. This would mean that more capable people could replace unproductive staff.
It has been reported by the Telegraph, who obtained a draft copy of the report, that it suggests that under the current rules, unproductive workers can simply "coast along" and make it virtually impossible for employers to fire them. The report suggests that this should be changed, although Downing Street have announced that any such changes to the unfair dismissal rules are unlikely.
The current unfair dismissal rules state that employees who have been in a role for 12 months or longer, can claim unfair dismissal if they feel they have had their employment terminated unjustly. The report was compiled by Adrian Beecroft, a well-known venture capitalist and regular Conservative donor.
The coalition government have suggested in the past that they ultimately aim to push reforms to employment law, not just to the law surrounding unfair dismissal. The information given in the leaked report suggests that unproductive members of staff could be one of the causes of the UK's overall productivity issues. Improving productivity could help boost the economy, the report suggests. It also steers toward the idea that employees abuse the unfair dismissal rules and use them almost like a security blanket.
Lib Dem politician Norman Lamb has been quoted as saying, "If every employee in the land faced the prospect that they could be removed arbitrarily, the destabilising effect could be devastating." Chuka Umuna, shadow Business Secretary raised the point that there are more than 2.5 million unemployed adults in the UK and the government should have more pressing matters, namely creating jobs, rather than finding ways of making it easier to fire workers. If the report will have any impact on employment laws remains to be seen.
It has been reported by the Telegraph, who obtained a draft copy of the report, that it suggests that under the current rules, unproductive workers can simply "coast along" and make it virtually impossible for employers to fire them. The report suggests that this should be changed, although Downing Street have announced that any such changes to the unfair dismissal rules are unlikely.
The current unfair dismissal rules state that employees who have been in a role for 12 months or longer, can claim unfair dismissal if they feel they have had their employment terminated unjustly. The report was compiled by Adrian Beecroft, a well-known venture capitalist and regular Conservative donor.
The coalition government have suggested in the past that they ultimately aim to push reforms to employment law, not just to the law surrounding unfair dismissal. The information given in the leaked report suggests that unproductive members of staff could be one of the causes of the UK's overall productivity issues. Improving productivity could help boost the economy, the report suggests. It also steers toward the idea that employees abuse the unfair dismissal rules and use them almost like a security blanket.
Lib Dem politician Norman Lamb has been quoted as saying, "If every employee in the land faced the prospect that they could be removed arbitrarily, the destabilising effect could be devastating." Chuka Umuna, shadow Business Secretary raised the point that there are more than 2.5 million unemployed adults in the UK and the government should have more pressing matters, namely creating jobs, rather than finding ways of making it easier to fire workers. If the report will have any impact on employment laws remains to be seen.
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